The wait for FromSoftware’s strangest game yet just got longer. The Duskbloods — the vampiric PvPvE action game Nintendo revealed for Switch 2 at its Direct showcase — has been officially delayed from its 2026 launch window into 2027. FromSoftware announced the slip on October 29 in a pair of posts on the game’s official X account, and if the news lands as a surprise to you, it shouldn’t: fans have been predicting this delay for months.
The Official Statement
“While development of The Duskbloods is at the final adjustment stage, we have made the decision to move the launch window to 2027,” the studio wrote. “We apologize to players who have been kindly awaiting the release of this title and thank you for your patience and support.” A follow-up post explained what the extra time is for: “During the network test, we saw active interest in the core concepts of the game, including combat, strategic depth, and player expression. To further enhance these aspects, we have decided to move the launch, allowing time for final adjustments to game rules and balancing.”
What Went Wrong in the Network Test
The game’s closed network test took place back in August — and it was a bumpy ride. The first session had to be ended early after major connectivity issues left fans stuck on the title screen while the servers were overwhelmed, and even once the doors opened properly, players reported performance issues. Beyond the technical problems, there was real criticism of the game itself: reviewers and testers found the experience confusing, with the game not doing a great job of helping players understand what they should be doing at any given moment — and more PvE-oriented FromSoftware fans felt out of their element in a build weighted heavily toward PvP.
Not that FromSoftware has confirmed either of those criticisms is what it is working on. The studio didn’t specify which aspects of the game will be tweaked, and no new release window has been given beyond “2027” — which, as GamesRadar notes, could in theory mean a wait of a full year or more, depending on how long the changes take.
The Appetite for The Duskbloods Is Enormous
For all its rough edges, the demand for this game is ravenous. The closed network test drew more applicants than Elden Ring Nightreign — an impressive stat, considering The Duskbloods is only launching on Switch 2. Eurogamer memorably describes the game as “Bloodborne meets Sekiro meets Dark Souls, with jetpacks and dinos thrown in,” which tells you most of what you need to know about why it tops so many most-anticipated lists.
A Delay Fans Saw Coming
There had been suggestions the game might launch as early as September, but that prospective date came and went without ceremony — and neither Nintendo nor FromSoftware had said a word about the game since August’s playtests. Kotaku points out that this news “will come as a surprise to basically no one,” and honestly, given the state of the network test, a little more time in the oven is probably the right call for FromSoftware’s peculiar, experimental title. Now the question is simply how far into 2027 we’re waiting — and whether the extra balancing work turns the PvPvE formula from confusing into the classic FromSoftware magic.
Sources
- Eurogamer — FromSoft’s Switch 2 exclusive, The Duskbloods, has been delayed into 2027
- Kotaku — The Duskbloods Is Officially Delayed Until 2027
- GamesRadar — FromSoftware admits it: The Duskbloods delayed to 2027 as the devs respond to network test feedback
- Siliconera — The Duskbloods Delayed From 2026 to 2027